The ManicaPost
The government of the central province of Manica, and its counterpart in the Zimbabwean province of Manicaland are studying mechanisms to fight illegal gold mining, and the subsequent pollution of rivers in both countries.
The illegal miners often use mercury which pollutes the rivers, kills wildlife, and endangers the health of people who rely on the rivers for drinking water.
The Manica provincial director of mineral resources, Silva Manuel, speaking to reporters in the provincial capital, Chimoio, said the main purpose of the discussions with the Manicaland authorities is to find mechanisms which can help reduce or even eliminate illegal mining, which is at its worst in areas along the Mozambique/Zimbabwe border.
“Many rivers rise in Zimbabwe and it’s there where most of the illegal mining happens. Here we receive water that is already murky,” said Manuel. He accused the Zimbabwean miners of disregarding the recommended techniques for extracting alluvial gold. “Work is underway to bring the two provinces together and see how we can eliminate this practice,” he added.
The largest rivers that cross Manica province are the Pungue and the Lucite. But the water in these two rivers is murky and polluted at all times of the year.
Thousands of households used to live along the river banks, so that they could use the waters to irrigate their fields. But because of the pollution, many farmers are now abandoning the area, and looking for somewhere with clearer water where they can produce their crops. — AIM.
